Fractured Little Truths
by AYangThang
Summary: Old memories and bygone days are hard to ignore. With a new chapter in their lives closing old doors, Blake and Weiss struggle with the future placed in front of them. It won't always be easy, but with a little faith, and a lot of love, they'll be able to survive the storm. (Blake/Weiss, and maybe more pairings later.)
1. Chapter 1

**AYangThang:** Monochrome. Maybe a few others later. Enjoy.

 **Fractured Little Truths**

There was a small noise echoing within the room. The rest of the world be damned, a Faunus was sleeping in her bed. Moreover, that Faunus was quite happily purring. In truth, Blake looked as if she was having an absolutely wonderful dream. The Faunus seemed blissful, actually, if Weiss Schnee had to describe it in a word.

Blake was lost to the world in that deep sleep, forgoing her pillow entirely as she curled up on the large bed. She had a habit of curling into the smallest possible ball that her long legs would afford her. Her black hair was strewn about, her feline ears twitching every so often as though reacting to stimulus. She appeared almost angelic, if not for the fact that her fingers had gripped onto the comforter.

Her hands were kept busy, kneading at the fabric in a way that would absolutely mortify the Faunus if she had been awake.

"And you say you don't dream of being a cat." Weiss muttered under her breath. She gazed upon the ordeal with a fond roll of her eyes. "What is this dream about, then?"

The adorableness of Blake's actions aside, there was a very real fear of inequality for the cat Faunus. A fear that no matter what she did, she would be seen as an animal. However untrue the statement was, there was no denying that Blake shared particular traits and desires with her feline counterparts. Especially when dreams sapped away any inhibitions that Blake might otherwise have.

"Although, I suppose you cannot control a dream, no matter how you might try." Weiss concluded simply. Rolling onto her side, She propped herself up amongst the feather pillows surrounding her. "I wouldn't be surprised." Weiss yawned into her palm delicately before settling back in to watch Blake sleep. "And knowing you, you _would_ try."

The Faunus had always been something of an enigma to Weiss.

Blake could be adorable, cute, and cuddly, just like a cat one moment, and very standoffish the next. She battled constantly with her sense of pride. Her heritage a point of contention among many. Honestly, in spite of Blake's attempts to fit onto Weiss's affluent world, her efforts left much to be desired. The struggle had no end in sight, either.

Although Blake would absolutely hate it, the Faunus needed to greet the land of the living. Softly, and ever so carefully, Weiss proceeded to sling her fingers into dark tendrils of silk. She began gently rubbing at the base of Blake's Faunus appendages before leaning down, peppering the slumbering Faunus with enticing kisses.

She started at Blake's shoulder, a spot that wasn't particularly sensitive. Then she moved up to the nape of the woman's neck, Blake's purr depending in her sleep. A cat Faunus's cheeks were particularly sensitive, ticklish even when treated gently, and Weiss kissed the one she could reach with care. She lingered there longer than she needed to.

A tiny mewl escaped Blake's lips. The haze of sleep slowly lifting from her as Weiss moved on to whisper into Blake's ears. She murmured sweet nothings, tiny reassurances even she wouldn't remember. Even just soothing noise were enough.

"Weiss?" Blake croaked out, quite unhappily at being woken up. "What time is it?"

"Almost six." Weiss said.

"Ah." Blake said, and closed her eyes again.

Weiss expected more, but it didn't come. Soon Blake's purrs resumed, and the blue eyed woman could only blink in confusion before scowling. It wasn't too common, but there were days that it took extra effort to pry the woman from the warm confines of the sheets. Weiss even understood why. Blake wasn't safe from scrutiny, not even in her own home.

Eyes were on Blake now, in a way that history had never before laid eyes on a Faunus before.

After all, for a Faunus to be dating a Schnee was pure blasphemy. It had never been done before, and the world murmured in awe at the spectacle. The entire situation was taxing on Blake, who had not yet grown accustomed to the public eye. Be that as it may, loath that even Weiss was to admit it, the time for sleep was over. It was time to face reality, come of it what may.

Weiss considered this, letting loose an agitated sigh.

She could rouse her lover the difficult way. Rudely awakening the Faunus and forcing her to start the day. Or, if Weiss was feeling particularly kind, and perhaps a little playful, the heiress could offer a little incentive. It was no question which method would be better received.

Weiss looked back at the clock. Well, it was almost six, after all.

They had a little extra time, Weiss supposed, as she sat up. Preemptively she turned off the infernal beeping that would occur as soon as the new hour struck. Then with an impish smirk that would have even made Ruby proud, Weiss set to her task. Slim, agile fingers toyed with the yukata fabric. Finally she managed to untie the knot and slip both hands beneath the black fabric to part it.

Blake's ample bust was so soft when pressed up against Weiss's own. The white haired heiress didn't have the same sort of voluptuous features to speak of. Truth be told, she envied the woman's figure. Slowly, as to not startle Blake, as that would be quite the mood killer, Weiss tucked herself into Blake's side. Idly she let her fingers play across the supple expanse of exposed skin.

For a few long moments, Weiss did only that.

Her fingers riding the waves of Blake's breasts, as they moved with each gentle breath. With tenderness that only came with an experienced lover, her touch became firmer, her palm finally making full contact smoothly gliding across Blake's breasts before slipping lower, down to her toned belly. Grasping hold of the woman's hip for leverage, Weiss leaned in for a kiss.

Raining her lips upon the slightly salty skin, she sighed to herself contently. If she could have done merely that all day, she would have. Alas, neither time, nor restraint was on her side. Her soft pink tongue lacked the cat-like roughness of her lover. Yet, as it slid out to greet that same expanse of skin along with her fingers, she knew Blake would never complain.

The cat Faunus's purr deepened at the contact. Blake was always easy to please in the happy twilight of her dreams. Weiss chuckled to herself as Blake's ears flicked a few times before returning to their resting state.

"Typical. I should have known you'd be stubborn." She murmured softly, her breath sending a chill through Blake. "Age has made you lazy, I think. You never slept this deeply in Beacon."

Keeping only half an eye on the clock for good measure, Weiss set back to her task. She showered Blake's body in soft kisses and caresses, watching as her lover soaked up every morsel of affection. It had taken a long time for Blake to be so trusting. To learn not to flinch away from the contact. As the moments drifted by, Weiss became bolder with each of her actions.

Eventually she knew the cat Faunus could take no further teasing. There was a fine line between Blake waking up grumpy, and Blake waking fulfilled. A half-hearted snort, and mild grumble was all that Weiss needed to know that her lover was slowly slipping into lucidity.

Kissing Blake on the lips, her fingers finally slid down between Blake's legs. Wetness gathering on her fingertips as she coaxed the sweetest moan from her love's lips. Golden eyes blinking away the haze of sleep.

"Good morning." Weiss replied softly, as another sleepy noise met her ears.

"Very." Blake's voice hitched as she fully realized the waves of pleasure rolling through her. She could feel it building, and with her usual fear that someone, _anyone_ might hear her, she clapped a hand over her mouth to drown out her mewls. Her eyes closed, Faunus ears folding back as her hips met Weiss with every come-hither stroke of her fingers from deep within.

Weiss used her free hand to pull Blake's into her own. Her stormy blue eyes conveying everything that Weiss found difficult to say. Lewd statements were lost on her, yet still, she loved the sound of Blake's voice teetering on the edge of climax, and the sweet sound of ecstasy afterward.

To Weiss, few sounds were as beautiful as that.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Blake looked over to the end table, where a stack of letters from old friends waited for responses. They'd brought up old, but fond memories.

In truth, she loathed waking up from her perfect dream, only to be met with imperfect reality. There seemed to be so little to get up for, nowadays. So few things that made any sort of sense to her. Weiss was the emotional balm that made living in Atlas worth it. Having Weiss by her side made the days that were drifting by tolerable. Amidst the dreary northern world cloaked in blues and greys, it was all Blake could hope for anymore.

Still, this was not the life she had planned for herself. Her future was a cobbled path that she could not predict.

So, as reality demanded her attention, Blake glared daggers into the clock. The clock's face was a red neon that blazed the time across a little square screen. It was six-fifteen by the time Blake found herself among the land of the living. Weiss was by her side, curled in her arms. Blake let out a happy sigh, burying her nose in those soft white tresses that tickled her chin. Little comforts like that were what made life worth living.

It was such a simple little thing, but, Blake cherished it anyway. She felt Weiss press a kiss between the valleys of her breasts in reply.

Blake wished that this could go on forever. She wished there was some level of permanence to it all. A troublesome thought came to her. A wayward, niggling little idea. One that she knew better than to consider. One that she had been forced to toss aside in her youth. Inwardly she scoffed at her foolish brain. Still, the idea remained, a true byproduct of idiocy.

It lingered, taunting her.

It was tempting to crumple up that little ball of hope in the back of her mind. Old memories clawing at her heart anew. That domestic pondering that ought not to be there burrowed deeper. A sense of adventure speaking to her, reminding her of what fun it could be to be a huntress. Blake could do nothing to stop the considerations that rolled around in her head. They were just so easy to fixate on, probably due to the impossibility of it all.

With Weiss tangled in her arms, there were so many things Blake wanted to say. A hope and a prayer beyond words sunk into a lonely little slot in her heart. With that came visions of what could be. Tiny wisps of reality mingling with a distant fantasy.

Even this moment could be so much more.

It _should_ be more.

And like that, Blake found herself fantasizing. Just the way she used to as little girl. Dreaming for a future so out of reach, that it had to be the text of a fairy tale. Still, it was a nice wish to have. A relaxed, if not distant look gleamed in her golden eyes. She could see so many things she wanted, so many tiny little sparkles of imagination just out of reach. They would never be made real, she'd long accepted that.

A deep breath later, and she smiled sadly. She'd put aside her weapon. She'd laid down her license. She had put to rest that old life. It wasn't her adventure to have anymore.

Weiss knew that Blake was pondering something quite deep. Her eyes were burning into the ceiling, as if looking upon an entirely different world. "Hey…" Weiss said softly, her fingers toying along Blake's jaw. "What's this about?"

"What's what about?" The Faunus drawled, as she looked down to where Weiss was resting her head.

"That expression you had." Weiss said, her pointer finger landing and gliding down Blake's nose. "You rarely look so perplexed."

"It's nothing really." Blake said, shifting her tired body. "Just mindlessly thinking, I suppose."

Weiss let her pull away. Slowly, they both sat up. Her blue eyes never left Blake's. Searching for the truth. Yet, even with her efforts, the Faunus had clearly locked that little detail away. "That I doubt."

"Don't worry about it." Blake said as her ears fluttered defensively.

"Of course I'm going to worry when you do things like that. I know you too well, Belladonna." Weiss accused gently, watching as Blake shrugged. "Fine, you can keep your secrets. I don't think it will do you much good."

"I think, maybe I will. For now at least." Blake said, though her voice lacked heat. Instead, her voice tenderly cradled something else.

Something that Weiss had never heard before.

"Blake?" Her eyes bore into Blake, questioning what exactly that tone of voice might mean.

"We're going to be late." The Faunus said instead of giving any real answer.

"If we are, it's you that is to blame." Weiss said, wagging a finger in mild annoyance. "I will hold you entirely responsible."

"I won't make us any later than we normally would be." Blake said, standing up and stretching. "I need a shower after that workout though, and for that, I blame you." She said, in high enough spirits to wink back at the woman she called a lover.

"Go on then." Weiss said, with a somewhat sad smirk. "I should get ready as well. However, don't think that you're off the hook. I still expect an explanation out of you."

"Not now." Blake leaned in to nuzzle Weiss on the cheek. "I'll make it up to you."

Weiss was inclined to believe it. It didn't ebb her worries any less, though.

She still wished to know what had so obviously captivated Blake's mind. It must have been something, and whatever it was, it wasn't a small thing. The Faunus could be accused of many things, but she was rarely, if ever, duplicitous. Still, Blake gave no hint to what she was really thinking. With the way her ears had cocked themselves, Weiss supposed Blake might have even confused herself.

It wouldn't have been the first time that old, dusty memories drifted into Blake's mind.

She watched Blake pad across the room and into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. The sound of the shower running reminded Weiss that she also had a morning routine to get to, and due to the lateness, she would need to hurry.

Weiss went through the motions of selecting her outfit, and tending to her long tendrils of hair. It was a distraction that ended too early for her liking. She could feel her own anxiety rise.

Blake's actions brought her cause for concern. The Faunus woman cared very little for punctuality. She cared even less for the sort of work that Weiss subjected herself to. Weiss gazed longingly at the bathroom door. She wanted to press the matter further, but there was very little time to do it. She would just have to press on with her responsibilities as planned, instead.

Weiss took a breath, setting aside the handful of worries on her mind.

If anything, she was an expert when it came to schooling her features. She'd been raised that way. Harsh reprimand had instilled her with the notion that it was always her job to offer the best platitudes she could. She needed to be able to sway crowds with merely a hand wave and a smile. She needed to be perfect, at least in that way.

Looking in the mirror, she knew that no one, not even Blake, would be able to see her distress.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

That fateful day wasn't the first time, or the last time, that Weiss would feel that selfsame worry bubbling from deep within.

Blake was occasionally skittish. Sometimes, she hid in the shadows of her own fears. For better or worse, Blake had always been that way. Trust was hard to build, but it seemed as though that trust was even harder to keep.

Blake's strange behavior didn't stop, but rather, it slowly got worse.

The growing lack of intimacy was one tell-tale sign that something was gravely amiss.

It wasn't as if they had an explosive sex life. It wasn't dull by any stretch of the imagination, either. Blake couldn't often resist promises of the physical variety. In truth, the Faunus was shy. Somewhat afraid of being judged. In spite of that, Blake was also keenly aware of her interests. She knew what she liked, and exactly how to get it. Blake lusted in a way that Weiss did not. While it was also true that the white haired woman was far from a blushing wallflower, Blake had always maintained a much higher libido.

At the very least, Weiss had once considered their activities it to be rather healthy. Even when they began to falter, she merely accepted that encounters of the sexual sort would lessen in frequency as time moved on. After all, they weren't teenagers anymore. Life kept them busy. As the weeks had drifted on by, Weiss wasn't so sure anymore.

Blake's demeanor had shifted in an inexplicable way. A way, that in all the years of knowing her, Weiss had not expected. Blake had never resisted temptation before. Then again, Blake had rarely resisted at all, until recently.

Weiss asked questions, but received no answers.

That was no comfort either. The days trickled on by with Blake withdrawing more and more. The days when she left Weiss naked in bed were stacking in numbers. The Faunus was antsy, distracted, her mind drifting off in the most impossible places. Yet, that golden eyed stare seemed to see something that Weiss couldn't.

Weiss couldn't wrap her head round any of it.

She tried, desperately so.

Still, she couldn't begin to fathom that distant stare that would glue itself to book pages, a meal, or even the blank canvas of the ceiling. What did Blake see? Why did it captivate her so?

Weiss didn't know.

It didn't seem to make any sense, and yet, even that distant gaze was terrifyingly beautiful.

Despite the way Blake protected the matter closely, that gaze of hers was strange. Fiercely gentle. Pensively peaceful. There was a sentimentality to her expression that soothed over the depths of anger that bubbled away at Weiss. There was a fragility in that golden gaze, and Weiss took great care with it, fearing Blake might be thinking of something painful.

As people, they had their fair share of baggage. As former huntresses, they had a list of missions where blood had been spilled. Some things were best left in those dark shadows of regret.

Finally though, enough was enough. After two long weeks of watching Blake brood, and another two of watching her suffer in silence, Weiss was at her limit.

It was a busy Monday morning with meetings piling up. It was going to be a hectic day ahead of them. Actually, it was probably the worst time to barge in on Blake as she soaked away her anxieties in the bathtub. Still, those anxieties were things that Weiss was no stranger to. She knew them well, or so she thought. So, as she was about to join Blake in the deep ocean of bubbles that the Faunus had created, she noticed the way Faunus ears twitched.

The aversion of golden eyes.

The placid, but thoughtful frown.

The way that Blake, like so many other times, seemed off.

As if somehow, her world had been tossed askew.

"Blake," Weiss began hesitantly. "Are you alright?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Weiss bristled. "You seem as if you aren't."

"I'm fine." Blake said. "Just…"

"I'm listening…"

A soft growl of annoyance slipped from Blake's lips. "Yeah, and I'm thinking."

Weiss positioned herself to sit on the side of the tub, still in her bathrobe. "You seem to be doing that a lot recently."

"I know." Blake said. She looked up, finding that blue eyed gaze. "I just need some time. I want need to be alone here and there…just for a little while."

"I'll go start breakfast." Weiss said, though it pained her to say it. She forced a smile anyway. The picture of perfection.

Blake reached out to grab her slender wrist. Holding it gently in her own. How could she explain her mind? She wasn't sure, and chose not to. Her eyes were molten as she sighed away a great frustration. "One day." Blake promised. "One day, you'll know. I'll tell you. You'll see it's no big deal, and then you'll think I'm an idiot."

"I'll wait, then." Weiss said softly as Blake let her go.

Weiss slowly left the bathroom, one forlorn glance to Blake telling the Faunus that she hated doing so.

Blake could only sink down into the water, letting out a long sigh. A clump of bubbles flying from where they had collected along the water.

When she was little, she had books to pass the time. She liked the stories, she envied the happy endings. Even then, she wanted one that was all her own. As a child, she was stupid enough to believe in magic, and gullible to think she could have a happy ending too. Even as an adult, she could only look upon those pages with an angry sort of envy. Even if she could achieve what she wanted, even if she defied impossible odds, she'd never be remembered for it.

Her life wasn't as fantastical as the books she used to read.

There were no magic fairies to help fly her away from this world. There was no prince to shelter her from all of the painful things in the world. No fairy grandmother to make her perfect for just one night. For a little Faunus girl, life had been nothing like her stories. For a lonely teenager, the world knew only cruelty. For the Faunus woman that gazed into the water now, there was only reality as she knew it.

She told herself that she should be happy with it.

That because of who she was, _what_ she was, she'd already reached her limit. She doubted she'd ever get anything else. Even if she asked for it. Even if she begged. She could plead to all of deities known to Remnant…

"It doesn't really matter if I tell her or not." Blake mumbled to herself. "It's pointless anyway…"

* * *

 **AYangThang:** Double update tonight, expect chapter 4 soon.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Life had rudely taught Weiss three powerful lessons as a girl.

Firstly, power was a fickle thing. Ultimately it was desired by those least worthy of it.

Secondly, a desire for control was born on fear. Those able to rely on others didn't want or need it.

Thirdly, neither quality did Weiss any bit of good.

Weiss tapped her finger against the leather arm of the chair she inhabited. She still couldn't believe it was hers now. It was a bittersweet victory, but in all honesty, it felt like a loss. She looked out into the endless expanse of the school grounds. Far across in the distance, the unreachable Schnee Dust Company stood, imposing itself as one of the largest buildings in Atlas. It was massive, and perhaps compensating for something.

Weiss sucked angrily at her teeth, holding back a curse. The thing she wanted most would be forever out of her reach. How had mending her family name become such an elusive goal? When had her own family legacy become so unreachable? Those were only a few questions that danced on her tongue. Neither one of them were the ones she voiced, though.

"Was that gigantic waste of company money always such an eyesore?" Weiss grumbled to herself, disgusted with the building and the man who sat within it.

"It does lack a certain charm." Her sister replied thoughtfully. "Furthermore, it is rather hard to ignore, I'll give it that. Although, he probably finds that to be a good thing."

"Father has always been short sighted." Weiss could only nod. "I don't know why, but I've recently found that building to be hideous. Perhaps I've never really _looked_ at it before. I assume that's the problem. Either that, or what that building represents. Now I find it to be an unpleasant sight."

"Grandfather maintained several modest buildings. Father, if you truly insist to call him that, saw fit to change the image of the company as much as possible. I believe it has always been his goal." Her sister replied with the same fortitude always demanded of a Schnee. "He has always liked to showcase his wealth in rather absurd ways. I believe you merely became used to it."

Weiss let out a grumbled sigh. "Yes, but, there's a limit."

Winter only smirked. "It was not long ago that you were pranced around as one of his little showpieces. What a sour investment _that_ turned out to be."

Weiss only shot her older sister a glare, not finding the implication humorous. She didn't want to address it, either. "His new additions cross the line a bit, don't you think?"

"Hmm, indeed." Winter brushed away a non-exist piece of fuzz from her uniform. Her attire was always perfectly pressed. She spared no detail. The sword at her side had been freshly polished just that morning. No doubt the one concealed within had also been tended to as well. "For what little it may be worth to you, I believe our brother to be in a rather unfortunate position."

"He may be in over his head, but, there's not much I can do about that. He is the sole inheritor of the Schnee Dust Company." Weiss replied coolly. "It's his problem now. If he's wise, he'll leave while he can."

"Oh come now, there's no need to be so hard on him. Under different circumstances, he would have made a fine businessman."

"Only him, Winter?" Weiss sent her sister a tired, slightly annoyed look. Weiss had worked too long, and too hard, for her own endeavors to be overlooked by the one woman who she had always hoped to impress. "What does that say of us?"

"What do you wish it to say, dear sister?" Winter said evenly.

Weiss cleared her throat, thoughtfully looking away.

Winter merely sighed. The disappointment was obvious in her features. "Weiss you are now a pillar of foundation that cannot crumble."

"I didn't ask for this."

"Didn't you?" Winter shot back coolly. "Haven't you always sought to position yourself into a place of power and control?"

Weiss frowned. At one point in her life, she had wanted those things. Now, she knew better. "Saying it that way makes me sound like a terrible person."

"I don't mean it to be so negative." Winter told her, her fingers caressing the hilt of her sword thoughtfully. Thousands of little decisions had been made with the blade at her hip. This one no different. The deadly steel grounded Winter, allowing her to collect her scattered thoughts that played across her tongue. "Weiss, look at me. More importantly, take a good look at the grounds below."

Weiss was compelled to obey, trusting Winter implicitly. Her sister was stern, but she had never done her wrong. "I don't know what you expect for me to see."

"Potential." Winter murmured.

Weiss merely scoffed, a tiny smile playing on her lips. "You make it sound so easy."

"Atlas Academy holds aloft our many peoples, providing them sanctuary where it would never otherwise be afforded." Winter told her. "Our people carved a life out of a barren wasteland with little more than a prayer. It was only with absolute determination that Atlas stands before you now as the kingdom that it is."

Weiss took a breath, her eyes falling to that eyesore of a building in the distance. "Despite that, it doesn't ease the sting to my pride any less."

"We are prideful people, after all." Winter laughed softly. "I would be worried if you didn't feel insulted."

"Father passing me by is much more than an insult." Weiss shot back. "It's…" She shook her head. "I don't even know anymore."

Winter digested the statement, nodding carefully along. Weiss had always been rather fragile when it came to the state of their family. His abuse had left an unseen scar among all of them. Furthermore, it had damaged her younger siblings irreparably. If their father was half the man he thought himself to be, he would have never torn his children's happy home asunder. He was, without question, a tyrant. He had no qualms about casting aside his blood and bone. For that, Winter would never forgive him.

But…

"Weiss, I don't understand how you could ever bring yourself to love that cold bastard of a man."

Weiss sighed at length. "No matter what he is, or what he's done...he's still the man that raised us. It's more than you can say about mother."

"Klein raised us." Winter spat. "Don't mistake bloodline for loyalty. It won't get you anywhere."

"I know." Weiss said.

Winter knew the truth. Weiss cared for their father in a way only a daughter ever could. Winter doubted that Weiss would ever learn to hate him, or the bloodline that he had ripped to shreds. He'd ruined his entire family, and he didn't even care. They weren't the only one who'd been hurt either. There was still one Schnee sibling left in that tattered home.

The baby brother who could do no wrong. The young male that replaced them both. Winter hoped that the youngest sibling would soon gain the foresight to leave the Schnee manor on his own. Then perhaps the three of them could be a family once more. For now though, she had to focus on Weiss, and to the kingdom she swore to protect.

"Weiss, this could be a blessing. Personally, I think we were born for a more noble cause." Winter took a breath and smiled softly then. "Bear in mind, my dear sister, the blood of many spilled to make Atlas what it is today. That includes the Schnee Dust Company. Do not diminish what your influence could do."

"Yet, it was the company that I promised to change. I swore that I would."

"Here you sit, the headmistress of Atlas Academy." Winter pointed out, her eyes stern, but her voice unwavering and gentle. "Why settle for one tiny company when you have the chance to reform Atlas in and of itself?"

"Because this position was supposed to go to you." Weiss replied. "Winter, Ironwood wouldn't have chosen me as his replacement if you hadn't pressed him to do it."

"I've become used to my place as it is."

"Surely you can't mean that."

"I do, and I have carefully chosen the path I wish to take." Winter said without a moment of hesitation. "I feel that my reach extends the furthest this way. I'm most useful as a tool, not a leader. I've held my current position for so long that I don't think I could adapt my way of thinking."

Weiss felt her nose crinkle at the mere thought of that. Winter was the most adaptable person Weiss had ever known. "Or is it that you just don't want to?"

"Weiss, you are still a blank slate." Winter stated. "Just as you grew into your role as a huntress, I firmly believe you will grow into your role as both acting general, and headmistress." Then she turned Weiss and all that remained was placid honesty. "This is the way it should be."

A loud chime indicated that classes had begun for the students. Winter knew she couldn't dawdle any longer. Turning primly on her heel to take her leave, she offered only a momentary glace back towards her sister. It was enough to bring her pause. Turning around, she did the one thing many people would never think in a million years that she would ever do.

She stood at attention, and offered Weiss Schnee, the new headmistress of Atlas Academy the most heartfelt salute she could muster. "I, too, am a pawn at your command. Please, whatever you do, don't forget that."


	5. Chapter 5

**AYangThang:** Had a chapter related derp, and needed to re-upload it.

 **Chapter 5**

If anyone had told Blake Belladonna that at the age of thirty she would be overseeing the daily operations of Atlas Academy, she would have laughed in their faces.

Now she was set up in an office one floor below her girlfriend. Her desk was bombarded more paperwork than she knew what to do with. Most of it slid right on by, and unfortunately, right over her head.

A few long and bitter years had culminated to this day, and yet it seemed so surreal.

She remembered the day she willingly left Vale behind. Little more than a suitcase of belongings in one hand, her mission backpack in the other. Fond farewells nearly choking her as she forced them out. She hated leaving the people she called family. She'd been given two options at the time. Leave Vale behind for good, or watch Weiss go, knowing that the woman would not be returning.

To be honest, Blake loathed the decision, even now.

Weiss was no better, but then again, Weiss had always known the day for departure would come. To Weiss, being a huntress was one small stepping stone in life. It was meant to have an end. She was meant to turn her back on it. Placing away her journeys and setting aside countless stories as fond memories. To Weiss, there was a life far beyond being a mere huntress.

In the end, Blake chose Weiss. They'd both gotten on the airship, and just like that, it was the ending of an era.

Team RWBY, was no more.

Looking back, Blake couldn't even pinpoint how it happened. She knew it was the combined effort of hundreds of little promises she'd made to Weiss, and to her old team. It was the addition of countless tiny choices she'd made in passing. It was because of the path she chose that she found herself seated at this desk. She hated every moment of it, but there was no question that this place was hers.

Her name was already craved directly into the new onyx desk and plated with white gold.

It seemed to reflect perfectly in the light. Like everything in her office, it was top quality and brand new. She wondered what happened to the old desk, but no one seemed to know. It was probably disposed of wastefully. If Blake had to guess, and guess she did, she assumed that she received all of this refinery not because of her position, but because of Weiss.

Sighing, she closed her eyes and rubbed them tiredly.

As a huntress she tended to forget the life Weiss had been born into. To be fair, to some degree, all of team RWBY had forgotten. The wilds offered a Schnee no luxury, and the Grimm were not accommodating to anyone. After a few months on the road, they were all equally filthy, hungry, tired, and sore. After a few years, Weiss had forgotten some of her complicated upper-class etiquette. The lack of civilization made even Weiss Schnee lax when it came to her appearance or manners.

To be honest, it was within the confines of civilization that Weiss changed back to the prim and proper haughty heiress that Blake silently hated.

The kingdom of Atlas was the worst of all. These last few years had been a dark reminder that the two of them would never stand on equal footing. Weiss had been born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Most of the people who knew her, her sister included, expected Weiss to act like it. Weiss did, of course. It came natural to her. Yet, for Blake, seeing Weiss this way was the most unnatural thing she'd ever seen.

Whatever happened to rolling around on the ground, and drenching themselves accidentally with the guts of various Grimm?

What was so wrong with that?

The danger was a very real threat, of course. Still, most of their time as huntresses had been little more than long dirt roads and nights under the stars. They went a little hungry on occasion, sure, but that was merely part of the job.

All of this splendor didn't suit Weiss, and moreover, it would never suit Blake.

The Faunus grumbled to herself as the elevator doors opened.

"Sleeping on our first day unsupervised?" Weiss said as she walked into Blake's office properly, a metal try in hand.

The Faunus jolted upright, sending a few documents fluttering to the floor. "I was just resting my eyes." She said as she bent down to pick them up.

"By the look of your desk, you should be working, not resting." Elbowing some of the work aside, Weiss put down the platter where two wrapped sandwiches from the mess hall sat, accompanied by two small pastries for dessert. "I took the liberty of calling for lunch. I knew you'd forget."

"I've been a little distracted." Blake admitted as she stood up. she made her way across the room where a small mini-bar contained refreshments for entertaining guests. The plush seats around a low lying coffee table were meant for casual conferences, but Blake had yet to use it for entertaining. Frankly, Weiss had a similar, of not more extravagant version of the same seating area in her office one floor up.

Blake poured two cups of coffee, adding cream into hers before taking both cups back to her desk. She placed the black coffee in front of Weiss as the woman sat across the corner of the desk.

The Faunus raised her eyebrow. "Wouldn't a chair be more comfortable?"

Weiss shook her head, her thumb tapping absently on the desk. "You told me that you'd tell me when you're ready, so, I won't pry." Weiss said as she picked up her meal and gently unfolded the wrapping. "I don't like knowing that there are things you're hiding from me. Then again, I'd like to think it's because you're still sorting things out. I want you to trust me, but it isn't as if I can force you to."

"It really is just a whole lot of nothing." Blake said as she reached for her own meal. "The older I get, the more lost in my head I get."

The white haired woman let out a soft hum of understanding as she chewed and swallowed. It was only after a sip of hot coffee to weight her words that she actually felt confidant speaking them. "You make it sound like you're the only one with that particular affliction." Weiss noted as she toyed with the corner of her wrapper. One finger twirling around the corner of it.

"I thought, maybe I was."

"Everyone gets bogged down by nostalgia every now and then." Weiss told her.

"That's not what it is."

"Then…" Weiss began hesitantly. "What is it, exactly?" She finished in a hushed tone, fearing to actually look at Blake and see all of her unanswered questions glittering in the woman's eyes.

"Right now? Just stress." She said, offering a half truth.

"Alright then." Weiss said, knowing the partial lie as she heard it.

They both finished their meals, idly bantering about anything other than the chord of tension that seemed to be tangling itself between them. Then Weiss went back to her office, and Blake got back to work.

While her view was not as grand as the one on the top floor, her window overlooked the main courtyard. She watched the students come and go. The graduates that were part of the military lazed about in uniform. Some seemed to tutor the students, and others sat in small clusters playing games. The coldest among them lazed around by outdoor heaters. Blake suspected that for them, there was little else to do on this peaceful afternoon.

Blake was not so lucky. Turning back to her desk, she pulled out a small postcard. For all of the things she couldn't find the words for, the image in her hand was the perfect example.

It was no strange thing, thinking about the emerald bays, and coastlines that stretched on for miles. Day, weeks sometimes, with no town in sight. Only the lush wilderness around her, and the impossibly blue skies that turned pink as the sun faded. A sailor's delight, as her father used to say to her. As a huntress, she knew the fragility of the world intimately. Much of its splendor was as beautiful as it was deadly.

Only those brave enough to travel along those untamed wilds would ever lay eyes on the untarnished lands. She missed the vastness of it all. They were a reminder of everything she thought she would be.

The card in her hands a token of all of the things she had never become.

The White Fang were still at violent odds with humans. She could do nothing to truly unify them, not of they just wanted to keep fighting. As a woman she was an obvious failure in matters of the heart. She still hadn't taken her relationship with Weiss to the next level. Getting properly engaged would solve a great many squabbles between Weiss and the public, but Blake was too timid to properly broach the topic.

As huntress, she was no better, and that hurt most of all. Blake might have had a license, but, she'd half-heartedly put that down too. She felt like a disgrace, really. For all that Blake had felt she might achieve, it simply wasn't enough.

When she closed her eyes, she remembered the thrill of a good hunt. The breeze in her hair, the smells of dinner cooking over an open fire. There was no match at all for the salty sea air, or fish fresh out of the water.

There was no replacing Team RWBY.

She missed it, all of it.

Wandering aimlessly through the winding roads with her friends was only the start, but seeing that coiling dirt road on the postcard hurt.

Blake knew she could never say that to Weiss, though.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Another day as headmistress of Atlas Academy, another day second guessing every little thing she did.

Weiss felt her stomach growl well before lunchtime on a rainy afternoon. Unlike most other places on Remnant, she couldn't just walk down to the nearest food vendor. Atlas didn't have meals piping hot and ready to eat on the corners of busy streets. It wasn't a lucrative business practice, and even if it could be, the weather wasn't suited to the notion of taking a meal outside.

On the sunniest days, the walkways and roads promised to be icy by nightfall. The warmest summer days were cool and breezy.

Mealtime was always something of an interest to Weiss. Eating had always been a social event, no matter her status. Most dinner parties and social balls revolved around a good meal. Business meetings thrived on a full belly and plentiful drinks to loosen the tongue. She'd been raised young to see each and every opportunity for networking as it presented enough, she had long ago lost her desire for affluence and grandeur.

Weiss couldn't help but think that her most beloved foods had turned into those that could be bought without question or care. A lot of her problems had been solved with the help of cheap food in the past.

Ruby's problems were usually pretty simple, and for those that weren't, tossing a few cookies at the matter certainly didn't hurt. When Yang was angry, and couldn't bash the problem away with a fist, a couple drinks and greasy bar food cooled her temper. When Blake hid herself in the dorm room for the long weekends, a tuna salad sandwich coaxed the Faunus from her hiding place. When all of them were in a heated disagreement, pizza for dinner was the one thing they _did_ agree upon.

It wasn't _actually_ the food, of course. Rather, it was the long talks that would result from it. The indulgent binge eating was just a happy side effect.

Weiss wished it was that easy now. Then her troubles with Blake might be solved over an easy meal. Thinking of ordering a pizza and having one of those long talks, her stomach growled once more.

"The mail has arrived." Her sister's voice said through the thick wooden door before stepping into the office. Winter held a stack of highly classified envelopes held to her chest. another stack sat atop it, tied neatly with twine. Most of the letters were sealed with colored wax, and pressed with great care so showcase a family's seal.

"Anything of import?" Weiss asked, taking both stacks of letters from Winter, and sifting through them.

"The bottom stack contains the latest mission reports." Winter replied. "As for the top stack, if you consider the frivolity social gatherings important, then yes, I suppose they are."

"What type of social gatherings?" Weiss asked with an upraised brow.

"The sort sure to be more troublesome than they're worth." Winter said softly as she crossed her arms. "As you know, Atlas Academy caters to a particular social class. Many families feel it's prudent to send invitations for birthday parties at an early age. As if that will somehow cement entry into the academy later." Winter sighed lightly then. "James never saw fit to attend gatherings of that nature."

"He always attended my parties." Weiss said, tapping her finger to her lips thoughtfully in remembrance. "Honestly he was one of the few friendly faces to always attend. It never occurred to me that he was there out of some sort of obligation."

"That's because he wasn't." Winter glanced over to her sister before sitting down, eyeing the small stack of letters that Weiss continued sorting. "This may come as something of a shock to you. Ever since the day you were born, you'd captured his interest. Father had very little to do with it, he hated James even back then. You were such a frail little infant, we doubted you'd make it passed a year. Your first birthday was something monumental. Certainly a cause for celebration."

"Hmm." Weiss sounded thoughtfully. "Funny how that changes over time. From miracle to menace, is that how it goes?"

"There's nothing funny about it, the weight of the family should have never fallen onto you the way that it had."

"Why ever not?" Weiss murmured then. "Whitley was too young to bear the burden. You'd been sent away by then, and I know there wasn't much of anything you could have done. Mother should have protected us, but, she was too deep into the bottle to care."

"I should…" Winter silenced herself. There were plenty of things she should have done. None if mattered anymore. "I should get back to my own work." Winter replied after a few long moments of silence.

"As should I." Weiss said, depositing all of the invitations into her desk drawer. "I'll think about these later."

Administration was a lonely task, and as soon as Winter left, Weiss distracted herself once more with the prospect of lunch. The idea of a good meal placated her immediate concerns. She wanted something reminiscent of the person she used to be. Eagerly, she pulled up the menus for every greasy pizza eatery in town.

It was among the commoners that true friendships had been made.

Her now position sapped away that small luxury. She needed powerful friends. Wealthy ones, in high places. High class diplomacy had never appealed to Weiss. The luxuries of the rich were wonderful, but, they were burdensome as well. There was more enjoyment to be had eating fast food with good friends, than eating the finest five star cuisine with a casual acquaintance.

"Weiss, the secretaries in the lobby just called up." Blake's voice said, interrupting her thoughts.

"What could they possibly want this time?" She asked, closing the pizza menu from a cheap hole-in-the-wall near the slums of Atlas.

"The finical backers are here." Blake said over the private line the two of them shared. "There are even two uninvited guests."

"There would be, wouldn't there." Weiss said, largely unsurprised. "It may be in our best interests for you to sit this meeting out."

"What, don't you trust me?"

"It's not you that I don't trust." Weiss said, her voice mellow. "Although, from the sounds of it, I wish you trusted me a little more by now."

"I do, you know that."

"Do I?" Weiss returned with a sigh. "Never mind, a conversation for later, perhaps. I should finish my preparations."

They said their goodbyes as Weiss tapped a few numbers into her computer. The command summoning a holographic image to sit on the low-lying table between the couches. Another few number presses, and small glass screens slid themselves from their compartments hidden on the arms of each sofa. After the seating area was complete, she called down to the academy cooks to ensure that refreshments were well on their way.

Weiss knew that the strict security protocol would take time. It would be a little while before the elevator made its ascent. With those precious few moments she occupied herself with the paperwork in front of her.

Weiss was no stranger at all to going through the motions.

She was used to Blake brooding too, seeing as the cat Faunus did that more often than anyone would ever truly admit to. What had been going on recently, though, that was different. Blake was a private person, sure, but there were few times she felt as if the Faunus hid things. Blake, in some ways, had become a stranger to Weiss, and the white haired woman hated that fact beyond all reason.

It gnawed at her. A creeping poison she couldn't just swipe away.

"Did I do something?" She murmured to herself as she poured over military documents. Her training at Beacon had been so long ago that she felt rusty. Even with a few years to be brought up to speed, and the fact that she was now sitting in Ironwood's old position still seemed impossible. Even knowing that she couldn't delay in getting these important papers signed, she was distracted. "Was it something I said?"

Signing her name at the end of a long list of new recruits, she set the list aside. The next packet contained blank order forms for new equipment. She knew by heart what to approve and did it thoughtlessly.

In the back of her mind, though, she retraced her every move. She couldn't find where she had done anything wrong. The past few weeks were routine, normal to the point that a dull boredom had shifted into the mundanity of the workday. She and Blake had even begun to get the hang of their new positions rather well, all things considered. Even with the grief of knowing that James Ironwood's cybernetics were slowly failing him, that too, Weiss found depressingly normal.

The murmurs of unease drifted over the people of Atlas like falling snow. Like everything else, that too would eventually pass.

Perhaps it was merely that. That the people were melancholic, forcing smiles because there was nothing else they could do. Perhaps Blake was more in tune with the tender snowfall, and soft chill in the air. Perhaps it was strictly that. The skies here were not as sunny as Vale, and while the grey skies here could be just as beautiful, they were often lonely.

Too lonely.

Resting her elbows against her desk, she looked down at the intricate waves of black and white marble upon her desk. So perfect, flowing seamlessly. Tucking her cheek into one palm, she used her other hand to trace those silly little lines that swirled without care. Picking up her pen, she examined the fine point. Even the little black spec that rested on the tip seemed perfect. With that, she returned to her paperwork.

Her scowl was uneasy, as if the page was the thing that had provoked her. Yet she wrote just as cleanly and elegantly as ever. Despite her intensity, as though she might freeze the page in front of her, her anger felt different.

Hot, overwhelming, and bitter.

She tried so hard to focus on her paperwork, but in the silence, there was only her worries. Her brain playing tricks on her. She'd give anything for Ruby to come rampaging through the halls with a cookie tin, or Yang to pull some sort of massive prank that might include property damage. Those things were fleeting, Weiss knew that now. Those bygone days were precious things.

Weiss heard the soft chime of the elevator doors, each wealthy benefactor to Atlas Academy filing out and into her large office. As to be expected her father stepped into the room last, her baby brother following after. Both of them dressed in in the finest suits that money could buy. Forcing a smile she stood at her desk. Four simple words slipping from her lips as perfect as she could make them.

"Welcome to Atlas Academy."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Another set of meetings, another weight on her shoulders.

As James Ironwood slowly struggled against his own fatigue, Weiss forced herself to meet the impossible standards of those around her. She may have secured more school funding, but she knew for a fact that it had been pure luck. Her brother had been silent during the entire meeting, a voiceless puppet that nodded along with whatever their father had to say.

As it turned out, the head of the family had plenty to say, none of it praise. Instead he looked down his nose at the first woman to ever sit as headmistress to Atlas Academy. Government and school were bound so tightly that it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began. Still, the Atlesian power rested mostly in the hands of men, preferably those noble birth or impressive military standing.

The only exceptions were the elderly widows of council members, or those that were too important to defy. The former tended to have near perfect atlesian pedigree. They were too well-known, and too well-respected to deny them their late husband's position. The latter group of women, her sister included, blazed a trail that couldn't be easily ignored. Having friends in high places did wonders to curry favor in the face of sexism and bigotry.

Though many strides had been made in Atlas, Weiss Schnee was not the decorated military elite that her sister was, and many felt her ill-fitting of her newly appointed position. Her father was the first to voice it, but many of the other backers to the academy felt the same. Weiss did her best not to let her mood fracture under the weight of the promises she'd need to struggle to keep.

She looked to the frail former headmaster, watching his hands twitch and shake. Even he could not defend her now. All he could do was hope that he'd made the right choice.

His cybernetics were malfunctioning beyond repair. He was in no condition to try to upgrade them, the process would be too extensive. If he were a younger man, and technology had made more strides, he may have stood a chance. As it was, his brain wouldn't adapt to the harshness of new implants a second time. His borrowed time was obviously ticking away, the coffee sloshing in his cup violently as he brought it to his lips.

Whatever hope of influence she thought he might project upon the meeting faded the instant she saw him.

It seemed the backers knew this as well, their usual monetary donations providing an unsteady perch for academy. Thankfully the military would be covered by taxation, but that comfort was ruined by a cruel reality.

"It says here that you're cutting my usual dust supply by ten percent." Weiss said to her father. "I do hope this is an error." The final meeting of the day took place between Atlas Academy and the esteemed Schnee Dust Company. It seemed fitting that this final meeting would be held privately. Family affairs doomed to be locked behind closed doors. "I won't just sit here and accept this."

"You don't have a choice in the matter." Jacques replied idly, looking down his nose at his middle child. He'd given up hope on her long ago, seeing so much wasted potential flushed away by her disobedience. "Try to understand, Atlas Academy isn't the only major power undergoing a shift in management." He looked pointedly at his only son, the implication clear.

"You do realize you're threating a governing power, don't you?" Weiss shot back. "A power, might I add, that provides safety and security for _your_ dust mines."

Her father merely chuckled. "Take away your security then, I don't rightly mind."

"Do you really have the gull to make that claim?" Weiss asked as she felt her blood boil. "You're saying that you would rather deny your employees a safe work environment, than to provide this kingdom with the means to protect them?"

"Well, technically, the mines exist outside of the Atlesian walls. Therefore, I'm not under any contractual obligation to provide them anything of the sort…so long as they're paid their due."

"A due that's also far below the minimum wage." Weiss said. "Your records speak for themselves."

"The Schnee Dust Company provides all of the basic requirements to sustain life. It's because we provide all of the prudent facilities that we can afford to pay them less. If this is unsatisfactory, the workers could always choose to quit, and work elsewhere."

"With little education, and hardly any money, you don't provide them an opportunity to do so. They have no hope for a life beyond the mines, and no room for corporate advancement." Weiss said, biting out each and every word. "You've made sure of that."

"Be that as it may, it is the contract _each and every_ employee signed."

Weiss narrowed her eyes, her frustration mounting. "A contract is a contract. I won't argue that. However, it's the quality of those lives that I call into question. Even if they do agree to it, there are lines that employers, such as yourself, shouldn't cross."

"I don't believe I do."

"You've continued to toe the line, and now I think you've crossed it." Weiss shot back. "You'd never even think to pull this stunt with James. I doubt for a second you'd have the nerve to try it with Winter, either. I won't sit idly by and allow it to happen to me."

"Well, let that be your concern, then. It most surely isn't mine." He shrugged then, sitting back in his seat happily. "The military has always taken it upon themselves to protect the people. As far as the security in the mines are concerned, that little matter was thrust upon me by James years ago. You could choose to do away with the stipulation if you wish. It won't upset me in the slightest."

"And why would I even think to do that?" Weiss groused.

"Well, I think you'll find that if you removed the security and military operations in the north, you'd find more than just your missing ten percent of dust."

"Absolutely not. You've already said that you won't provide protection outside of the Atlesian walls."

"Most of the workers are Faunus anyway. Their lives are a small price to pay."

"The blood of thousands are cradled in the palm of your hands. Don't you dare dismiss that just because they're not human."

"I'm not dismissing them, I'm merely saying that Faunus are expendable. They always have been, it's nothing new."

Weiss felt a small twinge of comfort that Blake was not sitting in on this meeting. It didn't make the notion any easier to listen to. In the end, her father spoke the unkind truth that Atlas still clung to desperately. There wasn't much Weiss could do. She was a single cog in a large scheme. It would take years to change the kingdom's laws to extend deep into the villages surrounding Atlas.

James had been chipping away at the racism for decades, and he'd hardly made a dent.

She would need to follow in his footsteps. She would have to work hard to rally the towns and villages surrounding Atlas. She would need to convince the right leaders to take their concerns to the council and demand change. That was not a battle that would be won overnight, and inwardly she sighed. Her father was her primary concern at the moment, and that's just the way it was.

"I refuse to leave the mines under your sole discretion. Anyone with half a brain would know that's a terrible idea." Weiss said, refusing to give into her father's demands. Unfortunately, she also knew she wouldn't be getting her own demands met either. "Furthermore, I'm still not entirely convinced I shouldn't shut down several of the mines due to their questionable conditions."

"I wouldn't if I were you. In response, I would terminate our contract completely." Jacques replied. "Do keep in mind, the way it's been written, I'm well within my rights to do just that."

"Are you really trying to intimidate me? I've read that blasted thing from top to bottom. I know exactly what it says. That contract is over a century old and has been re-written on about twenty different occasions. If I brought it under the scrutiny of the multi-kingdom council, they'd spit nails." Weiss said, slapping her hand down on the low-lying table between them. "Even when the SDC became a household name, times were different then. Now, the council would eviscerate that contractual abomination like a Grimm on Mountain Glenn!"

"Blame your grandfather, he was the one responsible for the genius wordplay. I merely adopted it, I would have been a fool not to."

"Grandfather would have never used it keep dust away from his own homeland. He was proud to call himself a citizen of this kingdom. You are nothing like him. You're an insult to the Schnee family legacy, and to this kingdom. Now get out of my office, or I'll have Winter escort you!"

She heard him yell, but she was too angry to care.

After seeing what a worthless effort it was to chastise her, he stormed out. Weiss watched as her younger brother was hot on his heels making a fast escape. The young man looked more like a gopher than an heir to the largest dust company that the world had ever seen. With a briefcase in each hand he skittered out of the room with hardly a peep, the same way he had entered.

Weiss rubbed her eyes as she realized she'd probably made things more difficult in the long run for him. Whitley may have only been a few years her junior, but unlike his older sisters, he'd never left his father's shadow.

She pitied him, but, there was nothing she could truly do. If he wanted his freedom like his siblings, he would have to face their father alone.


End file.
